Monday Miscellany for August 9, 2010

August 8, 2010 by Mary Anne
Filed under Writing Contest News

Hello and happy Monday!

I have no idea as to whether or not I have a high or low threshold when it comes to pain because, quite frankly, I haven’t experienced a great deal of physical pain in my life yet. Toothaches and headaches, sure, and I pulled a hamstring one summer, but I never had children, never (knock on wood) broke a bone or had kidney or gallstones, never dealt with pneumonia…the list of what I’ve never faced is miles longer than what I have.

So I considered the pain that shot through my side, first on Friday and then again this morning, to be nothing less than searing. Except for going on fairly regular walks, I’d done nothing particularly strenuous recently, so my thoughts leapt–why is the WordPress spellchecker telling me that “leapt” isn’t a word? Oh, OK, it’s also telling me that WordPress isn’t a word. Go figure. Anyway, my thoughts leapt like a gazelle to other possible causes for the pain, all of which had me lying on a gurney in my mind’s eye, wishing I’d taken the time to draw up a will.

No, I am not writing this from a hospital bed after all. I’ve been assured by a kindly-faced doctor at a nearby urgent care center that I have nothing that a few trips to a chiropractor wouldn’t cure. Mentally, I’m relieved of course. Emotionally, I feel a tad silly that all I really have is a backache. A painful one, yes, but a mere backache nonetheless.

Of course, most likely my twisted spinal alignment comes from years of sitting at my desk in what were definitely not ergonomically correct positions. I’m notorious for sitting on one leg as I read and write, for example. And the keyboard in my home office is definitely higher than it should be. So in effect I’ve been saying “bring it on!” to back pain for decades.

Which means, fellow writers, you should be literally watching your back while you work. Searing side pain does not help the writing process much, unless of course you’re writing about searing back pain itself, or a character suffering from it!

Here’s to your writing success. Go out there and win one of the writing contests below.

Mary Anne

Multiple Categories

Addictive “Writters” 2010 Writing Contests

Creative Writing, Short story, Poetry, Essay or other writing prose have a maximum word limit of 6500 words. The Short Story Essay can be written in up to 3500 words. Short Poetry submissions can contain up to 2800 words.

Prizes: Short Story – Grand prize: $2000, 1st: $625, 2nd: $450, 3rd: $225, 4th: $ 75.
Short Essay – Grand Prize: $500 + $25 barns & noble gift card, 1st: $275, 2nd: $150, 3rd: $50.
Short Poetry – Grand Prizes: $350, 1st: $175, 2nd: $110, 3rd: $50

Deadline: August 21, 2010

Fees: Short Essay: $8, Short Poetry: $5 for 2 poems, Short Story: $15

http://proofpositive.com/contests/writers-to-addictive-writters-annual-contests-2/

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Eaton Literary Awards

Submissions should be book-length. Contest is open to all unpublished fiction or nonfiction over 10,000 words. Accepted works are novels, nonfiction books, short stories, and articles.

Prizes: $2500

Deadline: August 31, 2010

Fees: None

http://www.eatonliterary.com/awards.htm

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All Genres Writing Contest

Categories for entry are Children’s Books, Young Adult, Poetry, Romance, Screenplays, Fiction and Non-Fiction. There is a 120 page limit on screenplays.

Prizes:Grand Prize: 3 day writing retreat or cash value. 1st: $3,000, $1,000 Category prizes, $75 runners-up

Deadline: Early Bird – August 15, Standard – October 1, Extended – October 15

Fees: Early Bird – $25, Standard – $35, Extended – $45

http://www.allgenreswritingcontest.com/

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The Walker Percy Prize in Short Fiction

Prose entries can be one piece or several short pieces that total up to 7,500 words. Poetry entries are limited to 5 poems.

Prizes: $1000 and publication

Deadline: Prose – October 1, 2010, Poetry – May 15, 2011

Fees: $3

http://neworleansreview.org/submission-guidelines/

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The New Southerner Writing Contest

Fiction and nonfiction entries – up to 5,000 words. Poems up to 100 lines.

Prizes: $200 for winners of Fiction, Nonfiction and the James Baker Memorial Prize in Poetry; publication in the literary edition. Finalists in all categories receive $15 and publication in the literary edition.

Deadline: Postmark by October 1, 2010

Fees: $10 per entry

http://www.newsoutherner.com/?page_id=263

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Fiction

Open City’s 2010 RRofihe Trophy

Limit one submission per author. Unpublished short stories of up to 5,000 words will be accepted.

Prizes: $500

Deadline: October 15, 2010

Fees: $10

http://opencity.org/rrofihe

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Anderson Literary House Imagination Award for Fiction

Contest is open to any story up to 2,000 words from horror to romance to literary fiction. The judges seek fiction that is unique, non-formulaic, unpredictable and unforgettable.

Prizes: 1st: $500, 2nd: $250, 3rd: $125. Winners receive publication.

Deadline: October 15, 2010, Late Submissions – November 1, 2010

Fees: $20 for the first entry. $10 per subsequent entry

http://www.andersonliteraryhouse.com/mission.html

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The Tennessee Williams 2011 Fiction Contest

A submission is one original short story, written in English, up to 7,000 words. Stories can be any theme or genre.

Prizes: $1500, airfare and French Quarter accommodations to attend the 2011 Festival in New Orleans, VIP All-Access Festival Pass, Public reading and publication

Deadline: November 15, 2010

Fees: $25

http://www.tennesseewilliams.net/contests

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2010 Family Circle Fiction Contest

Submit an original fiction short story of no more than 2,500 words. Two unique entries allowed.

Prizes: 1st $750 + Prize package, 2nd $250 + prize package, 3rd $250 + prize package

Deadline: Postmark September 8, 2010

Fees: None

http://www.familycircle.com/family-fun/crafts/2010-family-circle-fiction-contest-rules/

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Bartleby Snopes Fiction Contest

Submissions are limited to 2000 words maximum.

Prizes: Publication

Deadline: None

Fees: None

http://bartlebysnopes.submishmash.com/submit

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Paris Writers New Short Story Contest

All lengths, from short-short up to 5,000 words are eligible.

Prizes: 1st: 200 euros. Publication of twelve best stories.

Deadline: November 30, 2010

Fees: 10 euros

http://americanlibraryinparis.org/blog/2010/08/new-short-story-contest-announced/

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Canadian Tales Of The Fantastic Short Story Competition

Entries must be written by a Canadian, written about Canadians, or take place in Canada.

Prizes: 1st: $500; 2nd: $150; 3rd: $100; 10 Honorable Mentions: $25

Deadline: December 31, 2010

Fees: $15 for one manuscript, $25 for two, or $30 for three

http://www.redtuquebooks.ca/RTevents/ShortStoryCompetition.pdf

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2010 Caketrain Chapbook Competition

Submit 40 to 80 pages of typed fiction (approximately 12,000 to 26,000 words). Both novellas and collections of shorter works are acceptable.

Prizes: 1st: $250. Publication and 25 contributor copies awarded to winner and runner-up.

Deadline: October 1, 2010

Fees: $15 or $20 to include copy of publication

http://www.caketrain.org/competitions/

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Jerry Jazz Musician New Short Fiction Contest

Entries should be about music, social history, literature, politics, art, film and/or theatre, particularly that of the counter-culture of mid-twentieth century America.

Prizes: $100 and publication

Deadline: September 30, 2010

Fees: None

http://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/mainHTML.cfm?page=fictioncontest.html

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End of the World Writing Contest

Submit a short fiction story consisting of up to 7500 words. The theme of your submission should be the end of the world.

Prizes: 1st: $75 cash prize and prize package. 2nd: Prize package

Deadline: September 30, 2010

Fees: $5

http://www.swordandsagapress.com/contest.html

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Spout Press National Fiction Writing Contest

Stories can be any genre of fiction, 17,000 word limit.

Prizes: 1st: $250 and publication, 2nd & 3rd: Publication

Deadline: January 1, 2011

Fees: $10

http://www.spoutpress.org/news.html

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Nonfiction/Essay

If Our Clothes Could Talk Story Contest

Submit an essay that describes how fashion has made a difference in your life.

Prizes: $50 gift card awarded monthly

Deadline: None

Fees: None

http://www.ifourclothescouldtalk.com/2010/07/announcing-wardrobes-new-continuing.html

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52 Perfect Days 3rd Annual Travel Writing Contest

Send up to 1,000 words on your perfect experience at a National Park, National Monument, National Seashore or Historic Parks in the United State or Canada.

Prizes: 1st: 4 day trip to Oahu, 2nd: 2 nights in Palm Springs, 3rd: WordPress website, 4th: Tom Bihn Travel Bag, 10 Additional Entry Runner Up will win a copy of Best Travel Writing “True Stories from Around the World”

Deadline: October 31, 2010

Fees: None

http://www.52perfectdays.com/2010-travel-writing-contest

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2010 – 2011 SEVEN-CIFA Essay Competition

Submissions should be essays on enterprise solutions to poverty from around the globe that are faith-based, faith-inspired, or interfaith efforts. The essay should be no longer than 2000 words.

Prizes: 1st: $5000, 2nd: $5000

Deadline: October 15, 2010

Fees: None

http://www.sevenfund.org/faith-and-development/

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Poetry

Bloodroot Literary Magazine Poetry Contest

Submit original, unpublished, free verse, 10 lines to 2 pages.

Prizes: 1st: $200, 2nd: $100, 3rd: $50. Winners and three honorable mentions receive publication.

Deadline: September 15, 2010

Fees: $15 for 3 poems, $5 for each additional poem.

http://www.bloodrootlm.com/contest.html